By Gina Martinez
After a spike in anti-Semitic hate crimes in New York City, the 107th Precinct will increase security during Passover.
The 107th plans on having extra security this Passover at houses of worship in the area, police said. According to community affairs officers at the precinct, there will be additional auxiliary officers assigned to patrol certain areas to make sure worshipers are safe. The 107th Precinct covers Fresh Meadows, Cunningham Heights, Hilltop Village, Electchester and Pomonok.
Passover begins at sundown Monday and ends the evening of April 18.
The NYPD announced there was a 55 percent spike in hate crimes in the city compared to this time last year. NYPD officials attributed the jump to a 94 percent rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes in particular.
Last month Councilmen Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) and Barry Grodenchik (D-Oakland Gardens) held a rally with local religious leaders calling for an increase in funding to the NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force to crack down on hate crimes. Queens Jewish Community Council President Michael Nussbaum, Rabbi Yossi of the Chabad Lubavitch of Northeast Queens, Rabbi Eli Shifrin from Temple Torah of Little Neck, and Monsignor Martin Geraghty of St. Robert Bellarmine in Bayside Hills, attended the rally held at the Samuel Field YWHA in Little Neck.
“The continuing rise of anti-Semitic attacks and hate crimes throughout our city and country is despicable and unacceptable,” Vallone said. “We will stand united against hate and discrimination in every form and against any group.”
Since the beginning of 2017 at least 91 Jewish organizations across the country, including schools and Jewish community centers, have been the target of 116 bomb threats, 15 of which were made against Jewish locations in New York state.
“There has been a surge of hate crimes and anti-Semitic attacks across our country over the last few months,” Grodenchik said. “We have seen a disturbing rise of anti-Semitism in our own city. We need to make it clear that New York City will stand together to combat hate, violence, and discrimination of any kind.”
Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmart
